Our international obligations

We work with UK and international organisations to safeguard and promote the increasing observance of human rights standards.

These are set out in a range of international legislation, treaties and conventions including the:

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

European Convention on Human Rights

UN Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

International Covenant on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

International and European bodies regularly review the UK's performance in meeting its obligations under treaties and conventions it is signed up to.

Some of the resulting recommendations are for Scotland as a devolved administration to consider, observe and implement.

The UK is required to respond to the recommendations, and we submit contributions to reflect Scotland's approach to protecting and promoting human rights.

Our UN treaties and conventions factsheet details all the treaties and conventions ratified by the UK, and provides links to UK state party reports, Scottish Government position statements, and UN treaty body concluding observations.

UN treaties reporting obligations table

This includes our position statements for all relevant treaties and conventions, and the dates for the next UK examinations.